Escambia Bay: depth, boat ramps and water quality
Boat: 10 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Archie Glover Park Boat Ramp, 4 lanes, concrete.
The estuary
Escambia Bay covers 20,309 acres in Florida, across 2 counties: Santa Rosa and Escambia. It is an estuary: the deepest point measured is 30.8 feet (9.4 m). Our records hold 17 species for this water.
Depth: down to 30.8 ft at the deepest measured point
Deepest measured point: 30.8 ft (9.4 m). We hold 9 depth contours for this water, drawn from 27,382 soundings.
10 ramps and launches on this water
On this water we hold 8 trailer ramps, 2 hand launches and 2 fishing piers.
- Jim's Fish Camp — 2 lanes, concrete, parking for 12 trailers (firm unpaved), paid, daylight hours, flush restrooms, dock, restrooms, wheelchair access. Milton. 3100 Highway 90 West, Milton 32571
- Smith's Fish Camp Pay Ramp — 2 lanes, marina, concrete, parking for 40 trailers (soft unpaved), paid, open around the clock, portable restrooms, dock, lit for night fishing. Pensacola. 3509 Smith's Fish Camp Road, Pensacola 32514 · website m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=265333210145371
- Floridatown Park and Boat Ramp — 2 lanes, concrete, parking for 8 trailers (paved), no fee, open around the clock, flush restrooms, dock, restrooms. Milton, Santa Rosa County. 3900 Floridatown Road, Milton 32571 · website santarosa.fl.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Floridatown-Boat-Ramp-138
- Archie Glover Park Boat Ramp — 4 lanes, concrete, parking for 12 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, open around the clock, flush restrooms, dock, restrooms, needs repair. Milton, Santa Rosa County. 2306 North 14th Avenue, Milton 32583 · website santarosa.fl.gov/Facilities?clear=True
- Avalon Public Boat Ramp #1 - Mulat Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 4 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, open around the clock, portable restrooms, dock. Milton, Santa Rosa County. 3120 Bonfire Drive, Milton 32583 · website santarosa.fl.gov/Facilities?clear=True
- Garcon Point Public Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 4 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, open around the clock, dock. Milton, Santa Rosa County. 200 South Garcon Point Road, Milton 32583 · website santarosa.fl.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Garcon-Point-Boat-Ramp-28
- Indian Bayou Public Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 4 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, open around the clock. Milton, Santa Rosa County. 2417 South 26th Avenue, Milton 32583 · website santarosa.fl.gov/facilities/facility/details/Indian-Bay-Boat-Ramp-30
- Avalon Public Boat Ramp #3 (San Miguel) Not Recommended — 1 lane, concrete, no fee, open around the clock, needs repair. Milton, Santa Rosa County. San Miguel Street, Milton 32583 · website santarosa.fl.gov/Facilities?clear=True
Car-top and kayak launches — no trailer
- Archie Glover Park Paddlecraft Launch — hand launch, dock, parking for 12 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, open around the clock, flush restrooms, dock, wheelchair access. Milton, Santa Rosa County. 2306 North 14th Avenue, Milton 32583 · website santarosa.fl.gov/Facilities?clear=True
- Simpson River Fishing Pier and Canoe Launch — hand launch, sand, parking for 12 cars, no fee, portable restrooms, needs repair. Milton, Northwest Florida Water Management District. 3122 Highway 90, Milton 32571 · website nwfwater.com/Lands/Recreation/Area/Escambia-River/Simpson-River
Fishing piers
- Floridatown Park — no fee, open 7am–10pm. Pace, Santa Rosa County. 3900 Floridatown Rd, Pace 32571
- Simpson River Fishing Pier — no fee, open 7am–10pm, restrooms, monofilament recycling bin. Pace, Santa Rosa County. US-98 at Simpson River, Pace 32571
10 of the 12 places listed have both a fee and opening hours on file: a blank means we hold no such field, not that it is free or always open, and this list may not be complete.
Water and conditions
Water clarity runs 1.6–5.2 feet on our readings, averaging 3.1 feet, from 214 readings. Water temperature averages 73°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 49°F and the warmest is 91°F; the warmest monthly average is 86°F. pH averages 7.5. These readings span 2016–2025.
Monthly average water temperature: Jan 60°F · Feb 61°F · Mar 67°F · Apr 71°F · May 79°F · Jun 83°F · Jul 86°F · Aug 86°F · Sep 83°F · Oct 75°F · Nov 65°F · Dec 64°F
What is hard here
Wind is the limit, not the fish: 20,309 acres of open water build a short steep chop, and there is no shelter in the middle. Clarity swings from 1.6 to 5.2 feet between our readings — the water you meet is not the water someone photographed. Winter water drops to 60°F, and the warm-water species stop feeding well before you do. Summer water sits at 86°F: heat and afternoon lightning are the real risks, not the fishing.
Where this data comes from
- NOAA NOS Hydro — NOAA NOS hydrographic survey archive: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- USACE eHydro — USACE eHydro channel surveys: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA BlueTopo: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA National Bathymetric Source (S-102 ed3.0.0) — NOAA S-102 bathymetric surfaces: contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: soundings: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
